Transcript AFRICA INSTITUTE OF SOUTH AFRICA

Africa Institute of South Africa
Presentation to Science and Technology
Portfolio Committee, Parliament, Cape Town
12 October 2011
By
Dr Matlou – Chief Executive Officer
Purpose of the Presentation
To present on the
AISA Annual Report
and
Audited Financial Statements
2010-2011
AISA’s Vision and Mission
 Vision
An indispensable African voice on African Affairs.
 Mission
To produce relevant research products aimed at informing sustainable
political and socio-economic development in Africa.
 Position Statement
Development Through Knowledge
 Brand Promise
Africa's knowledge resource
AISA’s Values
AISA’s Corporate Values are entrenched in the acronym PRIDE:
 Participation;
Responsibility;
Integrity;
Development; and
Excellence
Introduction
 Policy and commitment :
•
AISA is an organ of state governed mainly by:
– AISA Act (Act 68 of 2001)
– Public Finance Management Act (Act 1 of 1999)
•
AISA’s Current Research Agenda
– African Continental Integration- 2008-2011
AISA’s Mandate
AISA’s mandate is derived from the AISA act (Act 68 of 2001), which
establishes it as a statutory body aimed to:
 Provide research and policy development support
in its pursuit of programmes that contribute to the
development of the African continent;
 Conduct research and embark on training
programmes that foster continental patriotism and
that promote increased awareness and
understanding of the African continent among the
peoples of South Africa and across the globe; and
 Establish and participate in and maintain networks
in Africa and globally which will contribute to the
peace development and prosperity of the continent.
AISA’s Objectives
The institute pursues three objectives:
Promote knowledge and understanding of African
affairs through leading social scientists acting in concert
and across various disciplines and through training and
education on African affairs,
Collect, process and disseminate information on
African Affairs, give effective advice and facilitate
appropriate action in relation to the collective needs,
opportunities and challenges of the continent and
Promote awareness and consciousness of Africa at
grassroots level.
Divisions within AISA
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Research: organised in 5 units, namely;
i. Peace and Security
ii. Sustainable Development
iii. Governance and democracy
iv. Science and Technology, and
v. Knowledge Transfer and Skills Development Unit
Publications
Library and Documentation
Outreach and International Liaison
Corporate Affairs
Finance and Administration
Human Resources
AISA Management
• Dr Matlotleng Matlou – Chief Executive Officer
• Vacant – Executive Director Research
• Prof Phindile Lukhele-Olorunju – Director Research: Natural
Sciences
• Prof Narnia Bohler-Muller – Director Research: Social Sciences
• Mr. Solani Ngobeni – Director Publications
• Ms. Elsie Maritz – CFO
• Ms. Ingrid Canham – HR Manager
• Ms Nadema Jainoo/Ms Cecilia Silolo-Tshishonga - Corporate
Affairs Manager
AISA 2010-2011
AISA’S ACHIEVEMENTS
IN DELIVERING
ON ITS MANDATE
Research Output 2010/2011
Monographs /
Occasional papers /
Technical documents,
3
Journal articles, 16
Policy briefs, 16
Books / Book chapters,
20
Media interviews, 86
Conferences /
Seminars /
Workshops, 80
i. Governance and Democracy
Seeks to promote and encourage the institutionalization and
entrenchment of democracy and governance fundamentals as a
basis for integration. Work focuses on:
 International partnerships with Africa – including Brazil/ China/
India/ Russia/USA- Africa, PRAU/IGD/AISA /DBSA/ BRICS
through DIRCO and AU;
 Auditing the African Peer Review Mechanism processes in
Africa, in particular the implementation of the national plans
of actions;
 Political leadership, parties and the sustainability of
democracy in Africa;
 Researching key socio-political and economic issues in
international relations and cooperation and how these affect
South Africa, Southern Africa and the African continent.
RESEARCH THEMATIC UNIT
i. Governance and Democracy
Projects undertaken 2010/2011:
The Role of South Africa in African Continental Integration
Assessing the AU Industrialization Plan Through A Linear
Model: In the Case of Mineral Industrialization
Results:
3 journal articles, 5 policy briefs and presentations at
national and international conferences/seminars.
Unit briefed various government organizations on
transformation of the PAP and Zimbabwe political
impasse.
Two interns were capacitated by the unit.
RESEARCH THEMATIC UNIT
ii. Peace and Security
Seeks to promote Africa’s Peace and Security Agenda, in
view of the continent’s aspirations to create stable, peaceful
and enabling environments for sustainable development.
Focus is on:
 Promotion of democratic processes for conflict prevention
and management;
 Conflict prevention, management and resolution
mechanisms at national, regional, continental and
international levels;
 Migration and security;
 Crime and human insecurity and its impact on regional
integration; and
 Management of trans-border resources and implications
for regional security.
RESEARCH THEMATIC UNIT
ii. Peace and Security
Projects undertaken 2010/2011:
Central Africa’s evolving natural resource management
paradigm: The case of the Congo Basin Rainforest and
implications for Peace and Security in the Sub region
The nexus of social capital and national reconciliation in
Burundi and its implications for human security in the
Great Lakes region.
Results:
4 journal articles, 6 policy briefs, book chapter in the Nile
River book project and presentations at national and
international conferences/seminars.
Unit gave lectures at the SANDF and SAN War Colleges on
Multi-lateral Organizations: The African Union and Regional
Security.
One intern was capacitated from this unit.
iii. Sustainable Development
In line with Africa’s commitment to promote people’s empowerment as a
basis for its development, this unit promotes grassroots driven, equitable
and inclusive use and management of resources (both renewable and nonrenewable) with a focus on:
 Development of common standards for the access, exploitation,
management and sustainable use of all resources;
 Monitoring performance in terms of commitments to empowerment e.g.
Millennium Development Goals;
 Indigenous knowledge systems and appropriate technologies for
beneficiation processes;
 Options for the empowerment of critical actors in development in
particular the youth and women, and
 Examination and development of proposals for poverty intervention
strategies.
RESEARCH THEMATIC UNIT
iii. Sustainable Development
Projects undertaken 2010/2011:
Informal trading networks: a ‘loose canon”, or circuits of
integration from below? The case of Cameroon/Nigeria
informal trade interface
Indigenous rights and the influence of the new Kenyan
constitution on Indigenous development.
Results:
4 journal articles, 4 policy briefs and presentations at
national and international conferences/seminars.
Policy briefs on Mubarak and Indigenous People of Lamu
District, Kenya attracted attention from DIRCO, Egyptian and
Kenyan embassies.
One intern was capacitated by this unit.
iv. Science and Technology
AISA seeks to spearhead work towards the development and advancement of
Africa’s science and technological platforms as a basis for the pursuit of its
common aspiration for sustainable development through:
 Supporting processes towards harmonization of regulations that promote
the application and safe use of technology; and promotion of the
development of centres of excellence in science and technology;
 Promoting the development of frameworks that protect intellectual
property in Africa, particularly the Pan African Organisation of Intellectual
Property;
 Facilitating frameworks for technology sharing, transfer and adaptation
among and across African countries, and
 Monitoring the implementation of Science and Technology plans by the
relevant ministries and departments.
RESEARCH THEMATIC UNIT
iv. Science and Technology
Projects Undertaken 2010/2011 :
Determining Africa’s future energy needs, production,
demand and investment requirements through system
dynamics.
The value of spatial based-analytical tools (GIS and
Remote Sensing) in understanding the impacts of the
agrarian reform on food security in the SADC region.
Special focus on South Africa and Zimbabwe.
AISA/Standard Bank Seminar Series projects.
Results:
 4 journal articles, 5 policy briefs and presentations at
national and international conferences/seminars.
Unit concentrated on the Energy Transition in Africa book
project with the target of having it published for 2011 COP
17 together with the IGD and UNISA book projects.
One intern was capacitated by this unit.
RESEARCH THEMATIC UNIT
v. Knowledge Transfer and Skills Development
Focus was on:
Internal AISA Flagship projects
Internship Programme
Fellowship Programme
AISA Young Graduates Scholars
AISA Campus Lecture Series
SA Campus Lecture Series
Archie Mafeje Memorial Lecture
Scramble for Africa Conference
Results:
7 interns mentored and 7articles published , 4 Fellows appointed, 61
participated at AYGS Conference, 505 attended seminars delivered at 5
universities, 71 attended the Archie Mafeje Memorial lecture held at WSU
and a successful international conference on Scramble for Africa held in
Pretoria.
Special Projects and Initiatives
 Electoral monitoring project (Sudan Referendum)
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Women and Defence ( financially supported conferences organised by DoD)
Support to SADC Armed Forces ( Lectures at SAND and SAN War Colleges )
North Africa Project ( organised conference and reviewed book chapters)
Nile River Project (organised conference and reviewed book chapters)
The Standard Bank Project (Conducted Seminars being collated for publication in
2011)
Social Science Research Council (SSRC) [HIV/AIDS Book Published ]
AISA Autobiography
Growing partnerships (Worked closely with DIRCO, DST, NRF, HSRC, AU, SADC, IGD)
Russian Academy of African Affairs at AISA (Signed MoU)
Other research-related activities
Research Seminars (Within and outside AISA)
Engagement with the Media (Radio, TV and Print)
Capacity Building (7 interns mentored)
Research Output
2010/2011
Monographs /
Occasional papers /
Technical documents,
3
Journal articles, 16
Policy briefs, 16
Books / Book chapters,
20
Media interviews, 86
Conferences /
Seminars /
Workshops, 80
Publications
Introduction
The Publications Division is a conduit through which AISA’s research outputs are
disseminated. However it needs to be noted that the division not only publishes
internally generated research outputs but those from external stakeholders as well.
The Publications Division publishes books, monographs, policy briefs, occasional
papers, as well as an International Bibliography of Social Sciences (IBSS) listing and
the South African Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) accredited
journal, Africa Insight.
Although the majority of what the division publishes is internally generated, it also
publishes commissioned and unsolicited journal articles, books, occasional papers
and monographs from other researchers from various South African and African
universities and from the Diaspora. We also co-publish with other like-minded
research institutions such as the Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD), South Africa.
Publications Outputs
Figure 1 shows the titles published by the division in the reporting year 2010/2011.
Books 6%
Journal articles 66%
Occasional papers 10%
Monographs 1%
Policy briefs 17%
Publications Results
Representation at local and international conferences, book fairs and colloquiums
including:
 Cape Town Book Fair (CTBF)
 Standing Conference of University Presidents at the University of South Africa
(UNISA)
 Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Literacy Week
 Launch of the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI) in Sandton,
Johannesburg
 South African Society of Education (SASE) conference at the University of Venda
 MAP Africa conference at the International Convention Centre in Cape Town
 Annual DIRCO conference in Tshwane
 Taylor & Francis Editors’ Indaba in Rosebank, Johannesburg
 African Studies Association of the United Kingdom’s biannual conference in Oxford,
UK.
Publications Results
In conjunction with its research counterpart, held a colloquium in Nairobi, Kenya on
‘Co-operative Diplomacy, Regional Stability and National Interests: The Nile River and
the Riparian States’ the proceedings of which have been published as a book.
 Apart from conferences, book fairs and colloquiums, Publications attended a number
of seminars and book launches during which AISA’s research outputs were
showcased.
 We achieved our strategic objective of forging links with like-minded research
Institutes in areas such as co-publishing by entering into a collaborative initiative
with the Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD), which resulted in a joint publication
entitled, Natural resource governance in Southern Africa by Emmanuel Kisiangani
and Lesley Masters (eds).
 The division capacitated 2 interns.
Library and Documentation Services (LDS)
Expanding Library Holdings
 Books : Added 251 ordered books to 67,158 books : Total of 67,409 books (
this total include the Pierre Botha collection and Mikelle Antoine collection).
 Journals : Added 884 direct subscription journals to 18,494 journals : Total of
19,378 journals.
 Ready reference collection : Added 32 annuals to 4644 annuals : Total of 4676
books.
 Exchanges : Added 530 exchanges ( 120 books; 369 journals; 21 discussion
papers; 10 newsletters; 6 bulletins; 4 annual reports)
 Gifts : Added 85 gifts (41 books; 42 journals; 2 annual reports)
 Archives : The archives stands at 4706 individual volumes.
 The total library collection stands on 96, 784 volumes. Shows an increase of
1,782 volumes from 95,002 in 2009/10.
Library and Documentation Services (LDS)
Providing Efficient and Effective Services to Clients
Users were divided into the following percentages :
 AISA : 65.85%
 Academics : 7.2%
 Corporates : 1.03%
 Individuals : 5.92%
 Students : 5.15%
 Government : 12.8%
 Embassy : 0.25%
 Other : 1.8%
 AISA’s own researchers made up 66% of the enquiries and outside clients
made up 34% of the enquiries.
Library and Documentation Services (LDS)
Creating an increased awareness of AISA mandate, products and services
Seminars
 Records Management seminar on the 29th March 2011, where record practitioners
shared information about good standards and practices on records management.
Workshop
 20 library students from the University of Limpopo on the 7th October 2010. LDS staff
did presentations on the LDS in general, a practical session on how cataloguing is
done in LDS and a presentation on how the periodicals section functions. The
students thus gained hands-on training on library science and information practices.
Library and Documentation Services (LDS)
Creating an increased awareness of AISA mandate, products and services
 Geo-Portal launch : The AISA geo-portal was launched on the 13th October 2010. The
interface shows 28 themes for all African countries and is updated on an ongoing
basis.
 AGIRN (Africa Geo Info Research Network) project : AISA, the Human Sciences
Research Council (HSRC) and EIS agreed on compiling the AGIRN portal and AISA
portal to ensure maximum dissemination and marketing.
 School outreach : Outreach was done in the Eastern Cape (30 schools), Limpopo (102
schools) and KwaZulu-Natal (107 schools). A total of 209 schools were reached. This
is an increase of 88 schools compared to the 121 visited in 2009/10.
Library and Documentation Services (LDS)
Maps Collection
A list of 1047 commercially bought maps and inherited maps from other libraries was
captured in separate Word documents according to country from A-Z.
Information includes the kind of map, scale and date published.
A total of 3448 maps have been captured during this period.
Corporate Affairs,
Outreach and International Liaison (OIL)
Corporate Affairs and OIL are responsible for all stakeholder and media relations,
events, branding, marketing, communications and reputation building of the
Institute as well governance and compliance issues.
Ambassadorial Forum
AISA’s flagship project undertaken in partnership with the City of Tshwane
generated keen interest in African affairs during the period with the hosting of 7
events:
 Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Centre for Africa
 Sudan’s decisions and implications: The elections and the referendum
 Russia investments in Southern Africa
 Nigeria@50: Trends, issues and options
 Inaugural Africa Expo Launch Expo
 Investment opportunities in Rwanda
 South Sudan referendum and South Africa’s role in taking the process forward
Corporate Affairs,
Outreach and International Liaison (OIL)
Conferences
 Professor Bernard M Magubane at 80: The celebration of a life
 AISA Young Graduates and Scholars Conference
Workshop
Aligning diplomacy to the SADC development Agenda
AISA Campus Lecture Series
University of Limpopo
University of Venda
University of Zululand
The Archie Mafeje memorial lecture
Corporate Affairs,
Outreach and International Liaison (OIL)
Seminars
Kaduna come down: Intricacies of informal entrepreneurs along the
Cameroon/Nigeria border
Central Africa’s evolving natural resource management paradigm: The case of
the Congo Basin Rainforest
Technology Intervention as a means of meeting development needs for Africa
with special reference to Remote Sensing and GIS and the launch of the AISA
Geo-portal
Robbers or rebels? – Understanding the role of greed and grievance in fragile
societies
The politics of indigenous rights in Kenya
Taking a preventative approach towards Records Management and ensuring
Compliance acroscs different locations
The challenges of industrialisation and infrastructure development in SADC and
the continent
Corporate Affairs,
Outreach and International Liaison (OIL)
Partnerships
AISA maintained its policy of pursuing partnerships in support of regional
integration and the development of knowledge based economies in Africa.
Key AISA Partnerships include:
Department of International Relations and Cooperation
Ebukhosini Solutions
Information Decision Support Centre
Tshwane University of Technology
North-South Centre
Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
City of Tshwane
Africa Expo in partnership with Enov8 New Media.
Business Environment Analyses
External Factors Affecting the Business of AISA
 Competition from other organizations focusing on Africa, both in RSA and
globally, e.g. universities, research consultancies and non-governmental
organizations;
 The necessity to create varied sources of funding to augment the
parliamentary grant
Business Environment Analyses
Identified Internal Factors Affecting the Business of AISA
 Lack of attractiveness of AISA as an employer as portrayed by the high staff
attrition rate and difficulty in attracting quality researchers;
 Non-competitive remuneration;
 Management challenges.
Proposed Solutions to AISA Challenges
 Delineate AISA’s niche as dictated by its legislative mandate and location
within the DST;
 Identify and partner with other similar research and governmental
organizations in order to have a better impact;
 Develop a clear communication and marketing strategy that will ensure that
AISA’s products and services are visible and attractive to all its stakeholders
and widely accessible to policy-makers and decision-makers; and
 Implement recommendations cited in the 2010 Institutional Review relating to
improving research capacity, funding from government, co-operation with
like-minded institutions and good management.
Human Resources
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The AISA Invested 55% of the MTEF allocation to our labour cost
(including statutory skills-levy contributions and Interns)
We developed 8 interns and received 3 interns from NRF during the
period.
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Over and above 1 % of this was invested in the training and development
of our staff.
Employment Targets Set vs. Actual
as at 31 March 2011
Division
Target
Actual
Variance
Interns/
Fellows
4
Total
Research
16
13
3
17
Library and Documentation
Services
9
8
1
1
9
Publications
5
4
1
1
5
CEO/ OIL/ CA
6
6
0
1
7
Corporate Affairs
(HR, FIN & Research Admin)
21
20
1
2
22
Total
57
51
6
9
60
Employee Age Distribution as at 31 March 2010
Employee age distribution as at 31 March 2011
Female
7
12%
18
32%
5
9%
Male
7
12%
13
23%
7
12%
Total
14
24%
31
55%
12
21%
Race distribution as at 31 March 2011
3%
12%
African
7%
Coloured
Indian
78%
White
AISA Scientific Qualifications
Quality of Scientific Capacity as at 31 March 2011
South
African/NonStaff
South
Current
Previous
Qualification Number
Race
Gender
African
Percentage
Year
7 South
Research staff
7 Blacks
African
with PhD
1 White
7 Male
2 Non South
Degrees
9
1 Coloured 2 Female African
64%
64%
3 South
Research staff
African
with Masters
3 Male
2 Non South
degrees
5
5 Blacks 2 Female African
36 %
36%
1 South
Staff enrolled for
African
Masters or PhD
1 Non South
degrees
2
1 Black
2 Male
African
14%
14%
Finance : Strategic objectives
Finance, Administration and Information Technology focused
on the following strategic objectives during the 2009/10
financial year:
• Improve the control environment and comply to all relevant
legislation;
• Ensure that AISA’s budget is utilized effectively and efficiently
in pursuance of its mandate;
• Comply with GRAP standards, relevant audit requirements and
National Treasury regulations;
• Achieve financial management excellence through efficient and
effective controls and processes;
Finance : Strategic objectives (Cont.)
• Assess and mitigate the impact of the top risks across AISA;
• Review and update policies on an annual basis;
• Liaise with the internal and external auditors to correct all
identified control environment deficiencies;
• Manage the institute’s cash flow to facilitate operations;
• Effective management and safe-guard of assets;
• Ensure that AISA’s insurance policy is adequate and covers all
assets and possible liabilities;
• Increase the revenue to AISA to augment the grant received by
government;
• Develop, maintain and improve AISA’s IT infrastructure;
• Improve business efficiencies.
Internal Control Environment
One of the areas in which AISA rightfully excelled over the last three
years was our commitment in improving the internal control
environment. Vigorous monitoring, implementation of policies and
procedures, a firm hand of the Chief Executive Officer and a zero
tolerance approach from the Audit Committee and commitment from
staff contributed to the improvements. Although AISA obtained an
unqualified audit report for the financial year under review, AISA will
continue to improve on matters identified and will endeavor to obtain
a clean audit report in the years to come.
Audit Opinions Expressed over the last 5 years
Audit Opinions received
2009/10
Unqualified
2008/09
Unqualified
2007/08
Qualified
2006/07
Disclaimer
2005/06
Qualified
Financial Performance
AISA ended the financial year with an deficit of (R2,430) million (Surplus R3,997:
2008/9). The deficit derived from two risk identified liabilities at year end which
comprised of Post retirement medical aid and the Pension fund conversion liabilities.
Although AISA ended the 2009/10 financial year with an accumulated surplus, it must
be emphasized that the financial statements have been prepared on an accrual basis
of accounting and are in accordance with historical cost convention which differs from
cash basis of accounting.
Included in the accumulated surplus is committed projects to the amount of R1,168
million as per note 24 (P120) stated in the annual financial statements that was not
expensed at year end. From the remaining R10,224 million R3,2 (SFP P95, N5)
million refers to the retirement benefit asset, a non distributable asset. This refers to
the surplus funds in terms of the current Defined Benefit Plan.
Financial Performance (Cont.)
However, the surplus funds for the retirement benefit assets will be distributed when
the fund is converted to a Defined Contribution Plan. Also, included in the
accumulated surplus are the non-current assets (property, plant, equipment and
intangible assets) of the Institution to the amount of R4,847 (N2,3 P95) million to
ensure that operations can be conducted and objectives be achieved.
From the above AISA also ring-fenced an amount of R3,935 million of which R1,804
million was not expensed at year end. Taking this above into account the
accumulated surplus funds available for distribution are calculated at R371 thousand
for the year ending 31 March 2010.
Total income generated for the 2009/10 financial year amounted to R30,684 million
(R31,584 million : 2008/9).
95,4% (96,5% : 2008/9) of Total Income generated, comprised of the grant received
from the Department of Science and Technology.
Financial Performance (Cont.)
Total expenditure amounted to R33,114 million (R28,207: 2008/9).
2008/9) of the expenditures incurred refers to employee related costs.
49% (53% :
Non-current assets increased from R5,957 million to R8,050 million. The increase is
as a result from acquisition of property, plant, equipment and intangibles. The
retirement benefit asset also grown from R2,418 million to R3,202 million.
Current assets decreased from R11,953 million to R7,932 million. The decrease can
be attributed to a decrease in trade and other receivables at year end.
Non-current liabilities increased from R4,088 million to R4,560 million from the prior
year. The increase refers to a substantive increase of R2,661 million in provisions.
Trade and other payables decreased from R4,088 million to R1,929 million at year
end.
Financial Performance (Cont.)
AISA was solvent at year end with total assets less current liabilities at R11,392
million. In terms of liquidity, the Institution is liquid with the current ratio at 1,73 : 1
which means that for every R1 of current liabilities the entity has R1,73 of assets to
cover its liabilities.
AISA managed through improved monitoring to reduce the accumulated surplus from
R13,282 million to R11,392 million.
Budget utilisation
The tables below reflect the budget versus actual in income and expenditure for the
2009/10 financial year:
Budget utilisation
Budget utilisation
AISA managed to utilise their budget more effectively and efficiently during the
2009/10 financial year. Although the objective was to have reached a break-even
financial scenario at year end, AISA ended its financial year with a deficit of (R2,430)
million.
Although income generated reflects a 4,19% variance on the overall actuals, it must
be noted that income to the amount of R1,167 million was carried forward for
committed projects not completed at year end. (See note 13 and 23).
Expenditure reflects a 3,39% variance. This can be attributed to employee-related
costs with regard to the post-retirement conversion liability as well as the postretirement medical aid obligation brought in at year end.
The overall variance in budget reflected is 7,6%
THANK YOU FOR
YOUR ATTENTION